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The Mind Illusionist…

The Mind Illusionist…

By Elizabeth Stuart for the Egypt Daily News..

Pick an animal.

Mustapha Berjaoui knows what you’re thinking.

A self described “mind illusionist”, Berjaoui, 21, this week became the first Egyptian magician to earn a Merlin, an award Tony Hassini, chairman of the International Magicians Society, describes as the “Oscar of magic”.

The majority of past honourees, which include legendary showmen David Copperfield and Siegfried & Roy, have hailed from the United States or Europe. After coming under fire in 2009 for favouring big-budget acts over magicians in small countries with fewer resources, Hassini said the International Magicians Society began evaluating magicians regionally to ensure more diversity. Berjaoui, who earned the designation “Best Illusionist”, was up against performers in 12 other countries in Africa and the Middle East….

Showbiz: It’s Sheer Magic..

Showbiz: It’s Sheer Magic..

Magician Mahdi Moudini, who won his third Merlin recently, tells Faisal Asyraf about his win and future endeavours in the New Straights Times..

MAGICIAN and illusionist Mahdi Moudini’s sleight of hand is amazing. Watch as he folds a RM1 note and turns it into US$1.

A member of the audience was so impressed that he handed over RM100 note, hoping to make a quick buck.

Mahdi, 35, was no stranger to such requests, so he took the money and told the person he would turn the RM100 into RM1 since he does not fulfil get-rich-quick requests. Later, he returns the RM100 which appears from his mouth.

The Iranian-born Mahdi has a lot of tricks up his sleeve. Standing on the small stage in the Renaissance Hotel Kuala Lumpur ballroom, he continued to amaze the audience.

He opened a book and set fire to the pages, from which a pair of white doves appeared and flew around the hall before landing on the shoulders of one of the audience. In another trick, he made a white dove appear from toilet paper in his hands.

“It’s not black magic, just a magic trick that confuses your mind,” said Mahdi, who has called Malaysia home for the past 16 years.

Read more: SHOWBIZ: It’s sheer magic – Sunday Life & Times – New Straits Times